Escados
Escados is a territory of the Kingdom of Castilland, located just off its southwestern coast. It is an island of around 13,000 square kilometres (8,000 square miles) with a population of roughly 60,000 people, having lost nearly 75% of it's population during the event known as Illiam's Slaughter ([http://castilland.wikia.com/wiki/Escados#Illiam.27s_Slaughter see below]). History Before 1 RE The Thescans were the native inhabitants of Castilland, occupying Escados and the southern part of the mainland. They were not one cohesive group, but instead hundreds of individual nomadic clans, some of which favoured the use of steppe horses, a breed of wild horse native to the land. The culture of Escados as it is known today has come to be due to the Aros, a Thescan tribe of mounted warlords who took captives of any tribe and race as they dominated the Southern Steppe, eventually becoming the most powerful clan in Thescan territory. Most of the current residents of Escados can trace their lineage back to Arosi roots, and most attribute this to Rahel Tiago, a legendary Arosi hero who dominated the tribes of the mainland, making him the clan leader (majar ''in Escadosi) of the largest tribe in Thescan history. '''Castil Invasion' When the Castils migrated from Galais onto what would eventually become Castilland, the Thescans were largely unaware until the Arosi territory was breached upon. They proved themselves powerful fighters during the many skirmishes that took place, especially the Arosi cavalry, which could cover more land than the Castils, who fought mainly on foot. However, due to the larger Castil clans, the Thescans were driven into the south, and eventually across the Escadosi Strait onto the western island. There they remained in isolation as their own sovereign nation until 266 RE, when they were forced under the rule of the Kingdom of Castilland. Illiam's Slaughter In 266 RE, the king of Castilland, Illiam Westerly, sought to conquer Escados, and so he sent forth an ultimatum to its king at the time, Elio Salatin; either he would surrender, or he would die. Salatin responded by sending back the severed head of his courier, which began the tragic event that would result in the genocide of 75% of the Escadosi population. Salatin readied his cavalry along the eastern shoreline in preparation for attack. However, he could not be prepared for the waves of flaming arrows Westerly's men rained down upon them, which dispersed the Escadosi calvary within minutes. Westerly and his troops then proceeded to march on the coastline, destroying city after city, demolishing landmarks and ultimately killing nearly 200,000 men, women, and children. Before they could reach the most concentrated city of Del Majar, Salatin surrendered, and Escados became a territory of the Kingdom of Castilland. Geography Escados is small territory of only 13,000 square kilometres (8,000 mi²). It is a semi-arid island with a large amount of steppe and farmland. The central region is filled with rolling hills and plateaus, with significant agriculture consisting of hardy vegetables, fruits, and grains, as well as an immense fishing industry on its coasts. The coasts are also where most of Escados' cities lie, many of which were left in ruins after the events of Illiam's Slaughter. The Thescan capital, which had once been Carthens was abandoned in 1 RE and relocated to the holy city of Del Majar, which translates to "great leader". Government Ancient Escados was made of mostly nomadic tribes, after having lost much of its knowledge and technological advances after the Great Fire, a volcanic eruption that is said to have spread ash from Escados to the coasts of Galais. Some of these cultural landmarks are still preserved, such as the city of Carthens, which is an ancient Thescan city built long before the Castil invasion. When the invaders arrived and warring broke out between the two cultures, much of their technology was shared, which led to their adaptation of feudalism. However, unlike Castilland's absolute monarchy, Escados acquired an elective monarchy, though many successors were also heredity due to their similar qualities to their forefathers being enough to warrant being named adequate rulers. Since joining the Kingdom of Castilland, the Escadosi still elect a king, though to the mainlanders he holds no more rank than a lord. Economy Escados once had a prosperous economy, but after the events of Illiam's Slaughter its population has become significantly poorer, as many of their precious metal reserves were looted by the Castilmen. While officially Escados is required to use the golden trust , in some places the pre-territory bravisa is used, a bronze, oval-shaped coin stamped with a set of scales on one side, and the words "a revos mar bravis" which means "with the strength of a stallion", words made famous by the legendary Rahel Tiago. Demographics Most of the residents in Escados are of Thescan blood, though there are small pockets of Sereosi immigrants mainly located on the southern coast. There are 60,000 people on the entire island, with major areas of commerce being the cities of Del Majar and Arcados, each with 20,000 and 25,000 residents respectively. Social classes Escados is a feudalistic elective monarchy, with a heavy emphasis on caste and social status. Unlike Castilland, Escados has a history of slavery, and while it was outlawed in 255 RE, there are some areas which still practise it today in other forms, such as indentured servitude. Still, it is heavily frowned upon to treat slaves poorly, and unnecessary cruelty was and still is punishable by maiming or death. While slaves have no legal rights, they are often treated better than the lower classes, as they are given slave's quarters, are generally well-fed, and are often treated as part of the family. It is not uncommon for poor families to sell their youngest child into slavery in order to feed the others. Gender and sexuality Naming conventions Family names are typically derived from a house's occupation or the landscape around them. Wives may take the family name of their husbands upon marriage, but in some cases, especially if her house is at an equal or higher standing than her husband's, she will choose to keep her own. Regardless, children always inherit the surname of their father's family. Those born in lower standing often do not have family names, but will instead use the name of their city or village. Males Balatigo, Darran, Elio, Ernigo, Jeryo, Mikael, Montigo, Rahel, Sahel, Santigo, Sartego, Syrigo, Thanigo, Ylias, Ysador Females Amira, Cara, Isabeth, Lorisa, Mara, Maresa, Maryam, Sellena, Shara, Ylena, Ysabel Surnames Aribasco, Blagero, Irrigas, Salatin, Sarrasco, Thinago, Tiago, Language Marriage and annulment Religion Death Cuisine Fashion Category:Locations